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Guthrie County Supervisor meeting set for Tue. morning

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Guthrie County will hold their regular weekly meeting beginning at 9-a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19th. Their agenda is as follows:

  • Call Meeting to Order, Pledge of Allegiance
  • Approve Consent Agenda
    • Minutes from December 12, 2023
    • Payroll Change Notice – Carly Heckman (Recorder New Hire)
    • Payroll Change Notice – Kelli Smith (Auditor)
  • Public Comments: Board Chair will ask audience for comments, limited as described below.
  • Department Head Updates; Discuss/Action
    • a.Conservation – Brad Halterman
      • i.   Budget regarding Truck Purchase
  • Elderbridge Agency on Aging – Sandra Jackson
    • a. Annual Report and County Report
  • Cancel December 26, 2023 Board Meeting and Reschedule for December 27, 2023 at 9:00 am; Discuss/Approve
  • Review January 1, 2023 Valuations for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budgeting
  • Other Business
  • Supervisors Updates
  • Annual Employee Evaluations; Discuss/Action
    • IT – Brian Hoffman
      • i. Possible Closed Session to Evaluate the Professional Competency of an Individual Whose Appointment, Hiring, Performance, or Discharge is being considered when necessary to Prevent Needless and Irreparable Injury to That Individual’s Reputation and That Individual Requests a Closed Session per Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i)
  • Adjournment

Cass County Supervisors to meet Tuesday morning

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Cass County will meet in a regular weekly session in-person and electronically, on Tuesday, beginning at 9-a.m. The Board expects to hear a presentation/request from Massena Mayor Phil Przychodzin, with regard to Clarke Street and Rockport Road.  The Board will discuss and possibly act on approving a Cott Systems quote for Resolution 3 software, increasing from $510/month to $630/month, and an OIB software increase from $150 to $225/month.

Other discussion and possible action will be held with regard to continuing the County Employee’s Accident Insurance Policy, and a business property lease between the County and the Cambridge Law Firm.

The Board also expects to receive a monthly report from Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health Executive Director Jotham Arber, and a weekly report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken.

Join Electronically via  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVWHpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
Passcode: 012064

Call In: 312-626-6799, press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.

Union County man arrested Monday morning on drug & Child Endangerment charges, in Red Oak

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report a man from Union County was arrested today (Monday) at around 2:18-a.m., following a traffic stop near Highway 34 and 8th Street, in Red Oak. Authorities say 38-year-old Steven Marion Bochniak, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana- 3rd or subsequent offense, and Child Endangerment.  Bochniak was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Montgomery County Board of Supervisors regular meeting set for Tuesday

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors are set to hold their regular weekly meeting in Red Oak on Tuesday, beginning at 8:30-a.m.  Among the items on their agenda is acknowledgment of receipt of the initial bargaining proposals from AFSCME Iowa Council 61, with regard to the Secondary Roads Department Union Contract. The Board will also act on passing a Resolution authorizing submittal of an application for Fiscal Year 2024 Surface Transportation Block Grant (STGB), and approving the final plans for the L Avenue Pipe Culvert.

*Please note, this is a public meeting; however, it may be conducted via ZOOM

Join Zoom Meeting:     https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85039693411

Meeting ID: 850 3969 3411

Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 If you are calling in, Press *9 to raise your hand if you wish to speak.31

Exira-EHK School Board set to meet Tuesday evening

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Exira/EHK School District’s Board of Education will meet 5-p.m., Tuesday (Dec. 19), in the Conference Room at the High School, in Elk Horn. Discussion/update items are expected to focus on the Weight Room Renovation and District Facilities. Among the action items is:

  • Approval of a snow removal bid at Elk Horn.
  • A request to the SBRC for a Modified Supplemental Amount of $160,211 for At-Risk/Dropout Prevention.
  • the 2023-2024 Early Retirement Notification Incentive.
  • the purchase of a 12 passenger van from Bob Brown Chevrolet.
  • A 2024-2026 Superintendent Sharing Agreement.
  • A 2024-2025 Superintendent Contract.
  • And, action on the resignations of
    • Cindy Gries: Food Service
    • Dee Hill-Borger: Associate.
  • And the hiring of Riley Simpson as Elementary Special Education Teacher.

Read the full agenda HERE.

Griswold man arrested in Montgomery County Monday morning; Villisca man arrested Saturday night for Obstruction of Emergency Communications

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Cass County (IA) was arrested at around 1:21-a.m. today (Monday, Dec. 18), following a traffic stop at 110th Street and Highway 48. Upon further investigation, Deputies arrested 36-year-old Joshua Kenneth Wolcott, of Griswold, for Driving While Revoked. Wolcott was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

And, Saturday night, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 40-year-old Gary Allen Honeyman, of Villisca, for Obstruction of Emergency Communications. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

Ombudsman sees drop in complaints

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – State Ombudsman Bernardo Granwehr says complaints to his office about government services were down in the latest fiscal year compared to the past two. “The COVID pandemic really contributed to a surge in complaints in our office, and quite a bit, I think, from the corrections area,” he says. “And so what we are seeing, I think, in terms of our, statistics, and sort of the drop in cases is really kind of a pulling back of some of those pandemic era cases. ” Granwehr says many of the complaints from inmates revolved around health related issues and conditions of confinement. He says some of the complaints were justified, but for many they advised the person making the complaint to first go through any grievance process.

“Because we certainly don’t want to be a substitute for an established grievance process, we instead want to provide oversight if the grievance process maybe failed in some sort of, in some way,” he says. While the number of complaints dropped, they were still the third most his office received behind each of the last two years. Granwehr says outside of complaints about corrections there were concerns raised about the Health and Human Services Department He says families of Medicaid members were concerned they didn’t get enough information that the estate of the person covered would have to repay those fees to the state when they died.

“A little bit of a surprise for people who use those services, and are pleased to report the since that time, the Department of Health and Human Services has really placed an emphasis on providing estate recovery information,” he says. Granwehr says that information in the enrollment notices and letters let people make an informed decision prior to signing up for those Medicaid benefits. He says they don’t want to discourage complaints to his office, but says everyone needs to follow the processes of the government agency first.

“Because obviously, we can’t we can’t evaluate it if we don’t give it a chance to work. But you know, obviously, yeah, that is definitely the first option. And then after that, we can take a look at it and see if, you know, the process worked appropriately and the complainant was fairly treated,” Granwehr says. The nearly six-thousand cases in the last fiscal year was a drop of seven-and-a-half percent from the previous year.

Council Bluffs shooting under investigation

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

A shots fired call led Council Bluffs police officers to a man in critical condition Sunday night. KETV reports police found the victim, who is in his 60’s, at a home near Harrison Street and Kanesville Boulevard around 6:30 p.m. The shooter escaped, but police were questioning several people in the home.

A description of the gunman was not available. Paramedics took the victim to Nebraska Medicine. His name has not been released as of this (Monday) morning.

 

Create new holiday traditions if you’re missing a lost loved one

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – There’s a Christmas carol that says this is “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for Iowans who’ve lost a loved one in the past several months, or during the holidays in a previous year, this can be a very difficult few weeks. Catherine Pelletier, bereavement director with the Gundersen Health System, says it’s important to remember those who are no longer with us.

“When I talk to my families about grief and the holidays,” Pelletier says, “the thing that I hear most is, ‘Well, we used to do this with this person,’ or if it’s the loss of an infant, ‘I really wanted to do this with my child,’ so it’s a loss of tradition during the holidays.” People will often grieve losses during the holidays more than at any other time of the year, so Pelletier says it can be helpful to create new memories as a means to heal.

“Something that we talk a lot about is how to include our grief in traditions,” Pelletier says. “So a lot of families will have ornaments that they put up on a tree, or they’ll put a picture of the person they lost at the holiday table and kind of include them however possible in those memories that they’re creating now.” If you know someone who’s suffered a loss and is hurting, she says it may be better to address it directly rather than to avoid the subject.

“Sometimes, as friends or family of someone with a loss, we don’t want to touch on it. We think that if we stay away from it, we’re helping, but a lot of times, that makes the people who lost someone feel like you don’t remember or you don’t want to acknowledge it,” Pelletier says. “So we really encourage friends and family to say the person’s name. If you have memories with them from the holidays, sharing those memories with them.”

She says they should also be given the opportunity to rekindle traditions from the past or to create new traditions that honor those who were lost.

The Gundersen Health System includes a hospital in West Union, and clinics in Fayette, Decorah, Waukon, Lansing, Postville and Calmar.

Congressmen stumping for Trump and DeSantis bring up budget beefs

News

December 18th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Two Republican congressmen have just made trips to Iowa in support of two different G-O-P presidential candidates, bringing along their complaints about the U-S House and federal spending. Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie joined Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at events in Fort Dodge and Johnston this weekend. Massie talked about forcing members of the U-S House to vote in person, in March of 2020, on the two TRILLION dollar pandemic relief package.

“Everybody hated me for it, for making them come to Washington, D.C.,” Massie said, “and there were $1200 checks, even among some Republicans.” President Trump, who supported and quickly signed the package, called Massie a third rate grandstander for his parliamentary move, which delayed passage of the bill. Massie says Trump threatened him by phone.

“And he said: ‘I’m coming at you like you’ve never seen…I’m backing your primary opponent and you’re going to lose. I’m more popular than you,'” Massie said, imitating Trump’s voice, then Massie added in his own voice: “Well, I went back in there and I objected anyway.” Massie says that bill has caused inflation for years down the road. Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz made a solo stop for Trump in Cedar Rapids on Friday. Gaetz, who helped oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, complained about the budget process the new speaker is pursuing.

“I am trying to bring some sanity to Washington, D.C.,” Gaetz said, “and they all think I’m crazy, but I kind of think they are.” Gaetz says it’s crazy for congress to vote on the entire budget of the United States of America all at once. “We would all want to be there for our troops and our veterans and the elderly and the disabled,” Gaetz said, “but when you are required to vote for those programs alongside all of the waste and wokeness, then you don’t get the type of itemized review that can put downward pressure on spending.”

Gaetz says the process lets members of congress from both parties avoid making tough decisions. Trump is scheduled to speak in Waterloo tomorrow (Tuesday). DeSantis is campaigning in Adel this (Monday) morning with Governor Reynolds.